Activist for: The Fair Treatment of the Mentally Ill.
Birth-Death Dates:(April 4, 1802 – July 17, 1887)
Located: Massachusetts, but traveled throughout many states to gain support for her cause.
Criticisms Of American Societal Policy:
After becoming a teacher in Massachusetts at the East Cambridge House of Correction, Dix became aware of the horrid treatment of the mentally ill. The mentally ill at this time were kept in cages, pens, stalls, and closets, as well as prisons where they were both put in with dangerous people and became serious disadvantages to those they were kept with. Dix did not seek to blame individuals or keepers, but rather attested that this neglect was from the keepers being accustomed to suffering. Believing that prisons and almshouses were not made for the treatment and care of the insane, she desired for states to create mental hospitals specifically meant for those with mental problems. Dix also wished for legislation to provide rules stating the basic care that would need to be given to the mentally ill.
How Did Dix Make A Difference? Methods and Successes:
After becoming aware of the terrible conditions faced by the mentally ill, Dix first got a court order to heat and make other improvements to the jail. Later, she traveled around Massachusetts and documented the circumstances of the mentally ill, which she later submitted to legislature in her "Memorial to the Legislature of Massachusetts" in 1843. Though met with skepticism at first, Dix was eventually heard and the Legislature provided funds for the expansion of the State Mental Hospital at Worcester in Massachusetts, a victory that helped many mentally ill and set the stage for further improvements. Dix continued her work by traveling through many other states, repeating her work on collecting data in each and presenting it to legislature. In most cases already existing facilities were improved and new hospitals for the mentally ill were built.
Was Reform Practical?
In the period of reform during which women were beginning to get a voice and many other reforms were taking place, Dorothea Dix's reform plan for the treatment of the mentally ill fit right in. Her method of collecting data in a scientific and analytical way was perfect as it provided evidence that caused the male population to overlook the fact that it was a woman leading the reform. Her method was also appropriate because of the strong Unitarian movement in New England that supported reason and science.
Governmental Backing Of Advancement:
As was seen in the results of Dix's memorials to the legislature of many states, funding was provided to help raise and reform hospitals to better accommodate the needs of the mentally ill. In addition to this, the Federal governmental legislature could back plans to create funds that would be used for the benefit and reform of the treatment of the mentally ill throughout the entire country. The president in particular could present such a bill to Congress and pass it once it came across his desk.
References: Edward Bangs: Dorothea Dix's second cousin, Edward Bangs fell deeply in love with her from almost the instant they met. Upon learning of her desire to teach, Edward suggested she teach a dame school, and that he would help her set it up. A dame school is a school for girls because girls were not allowed at the time to attend public school. Edward did help Dorothea to set up a school which she ran for 3 years before his proposal to her frightened her, and caused her to return to Boston. Though they never got married, Edward became a political figure who would eventually help Dorothea's reformation of the treatment of the mentally ill.
Millard Fillmore:During Dix's far reaching attempts at reforming the treatment of the mentally ill, she stretched her persuasion so far as Congress. She lobbied for reform from 1848-1854 with support given by President Millard Fillmore. The bill proposing a method to create funds for the better treatment of the insane was passed through both the House and Senate, but was not able to reach Millard Fillmore's desk before he left the presidency and was therefore vetoed by the next president
Dorothea Dix
Activist for: The Fair Treatment of the Mentally Ill.Birth-Death Dates:(April 4, 1802 – July 17, 1887)
Located: Massachusetts, but traveled throughout many states to gain support for her cause.
Criticisms Of American Societal Policy:
After becoming a teacher in Massachusetts at the East Cambridge House of Correction, Dix became aware of the horrid treatment of the mentally ill. The mentally ill at this time were kept in cages, pens, stalls, and closets, as well as prisons where they were both put in with dangerous people and became serious disadvantages to those they were kept with. Dix did not seek to blame individuals or keepers, but rather attested that this neglect was from the keepers being accustomed to suffering. Believing that prisons and almshouses were not made for the treatment and care of the insane, she desired for states to create mental hospitals specifically meant for those with mental problems. Dix also wished for legislation to provide rules stating the basic care that would need to be given to the mentally ill.
How Did Dix Make A Difference?
Methods and Successes:
After becoming aware of the terrible conditions faced by the mentally ill, Dix first got a court order to heat and make other improvements to the jail. Later, she traveled around Massachusetts and documented the circumstances of the mentally ill, which she later submitted to legislature in her "Memorial to the Legislature of Massachusetts" in 1843. Though met with skepticism at first, Dix was eventually heard and the Legislature provided funds for the expansion of the State Mental Hospital at Worcester in Massachusetts, a victory that helped many mentally ill and set the stage for further improvements. Dix continued her work by traveling through many other states, repeating her work on collecting data in each and presenting it to legislature. In most cases already existing facilities were improved and new hospitals for the mentally ill were built.
Was Reform Practical?
In the period of reform during which women were beginning to get a voice and many other reforms were taking place, Dorothea Dix's reform plan for the treatment of the mentally ill fit right in. Her method of collecting data in a scientific and analytical way was perfect as it provided evidence that caused the male population to overlook the fact that it was a woman leading the reform. Her method was also appropriate because of the strong Unitarian movement in New England that supported reason and science.
Governmental Backing Of Advancement:
As was seen in the results of Dix's memorials to the legislature of many states, funding was provided to help raise and reform hospitals to better accommodate the needs of the mentally ill. In addition to this, the Federal governmental legislature could back plans to create funds that would be used for the benefit and reform of the treatment of the mentally ill throughout the entire country. The president in particular could present such a bill to Congress and pass it once it came across his desk.
References:
Edward Bangs: Dorothea Dix's second cousin, Edward Bangs fell deeply in love with her from almost the instant they met. Upon learning of her desire to teach, Edward suggested she teach a dame school, and that he would help her set it up. A dame school is a school for girls because girls were not allowed at the time to attend public school. Edward did help Dorothea to set up a school which she ran for 3 years before his proposal to her frightened her, and caused her to return to Boston. Though they never got married, Edward became a political figure who would eventually help Dorothea's reformation of the treatment of the mentally ill.
Millard Fillmore:During Dix's far reaching attempts at reforming the treatment of the mentally ill, she stretched her persuasion so far as Congress. She lobbied for reform from 1848-1854 with support given by President Millard Fillmore. The bill proposing a method to create funds for the better treatment of the insane was passed through both the House and Senate, but was not able to reach Millard Fillmore's desk before he left the presidency and was therefore vetoed by the next president
Casarez, Tana. "Dorothea Lynde Dix." Psychology History. N.p., n.d. Web. 4 Oct. 2011. <www.muskingum.edu/~psych/psycweb/history/dix.htm#Time%20Line>.
Dix, Dorothea. "Dorothea Dix Speaks on Behalf of Insane Persons, 1843." Antebellum Reform Movements. Historyteacher.net, n.d. Web. 4 Oct. 2011. < http://www.wadsworth.com/history_d/templates/student_resources/0030724791_ayers/sources/ch11/11.4.dix.html>.
"Dorothea Dix." Webster University. N.p., n.d. Web. 4 Oct. 2011. <http://www.webster.edu/~woolflm/dix.html>.
Viney, Wayne. "Dorothea Dix." UUA Server for Other Organizations' Web Sites. N.p., n.d. Web. 4 Oct. 2011. <http://www25.uua.org/uuhs/duub/articles/dorotheadix.html>.